Cant decide, small 9mm?

84ta406

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Looking for a small 9mm pistol. Keeping it pretty low budget, 400-450 seeing as its just going to be a range gun for the most part. I already have a 92FS and people I go shooting with love it, except for the size. I also have smallish hands so something with a better grip would be more fun to me.

So far I have it narrowed down to 3 pistols:

1.) Gen 1 Walther PPS, got rid of my .40 version and miss the gun, biggest downside for me is the trigger but thats just a disconnector swap away. To me the gun just felt smooth and ran like a sewing machine.

2.) M&P shield 9, was never a big fan of them but shot one recently and liked it. It was in NH so I imagine the trigger was much better but again, Apex kit and call it done.

3.) Steyr M9-A1, feels great, shoots great, not much downside aside from finding replacement parts if needed.

Im open to suggestions but thats what I have it down to for now.
 
Ruger LC9s. My wife has tiny hands and loves it. I have big hands and love it.

Not it all that fond of the choices you gave so we probably have different tastes in guns.
 
Ruger LC9s. My wife has tiny hands and loves it. I have big hands and love it.

Not it all that fond of the choices you gave so we probably have different tastes in guns.

Ill be honest, havent looked at the LC9s much, havent gotten to play with one either. Ill look into it though.
 
I think the Ruger LC9s is your best bet.


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I picked up a new PPS in the store, the trigger seems like 6 lbs to me, not 13 lbs - maybe Walther is shipping free state triggers to the Mass guns now?

They're so cheap now I'd go for that.
 
Shield 9 mm here, in an Alien Gear holster.
I think you'll only get one magazine with the Ruger. You get two with the Shield.
 
I have both... LC9S and the Shields in both 9 aND 40... Shield all the way.. but, I would suggest trying both, what I like best ... you may not.
 
I have a sig sauer p938. Awesome little pistol. I payed 500 new at Four Seasons. You might be able to get the same price. My opinion is that it's great for a carry gun with the smaller magazine but no fun at the range. swap out the magazine for the one with the extension and it's a whole new pistol. fun to shoot.

I have a ruger lc9s. I LOVE the trigger on it and it's not extremely snappy as smaller pistols go. I love carrying it and fooling around with it at the range.

I had a shield in 40 cal. I didn't like it. snapped too much for anything I'd be willing to spend meaningful time practicing with. come to think of it, i've never fired one in 9mm.

I've had a ruger sr40c=very little snap for a smaller 40. sold it to fund another project.

I currently have a sr9c that i like it very much. I've only shot it on one trip to the range but it seems like a great gun. I even invested in better sites for it.

a glock 19 in any generation is nice. I like my gen 2.

The best way to decide is to shoot as many as possible.
 
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If you really don't plan on carrying it, I would not go with a subcompact like the LC9s. I'd go with a Ruger SR9c, SR9, or similar from another brand. Subcompacts are not fun to shoot at the range, even if you do have small hands.

My daughter was shooting my SR9 when she was 14 years old and she loved it. She hated shooting my LC9.

Just a thought.
 
I dont need a ultra compact like a pocket carry, I really have no use for it. I was looking at the SR9C as well for a while, just tried to narrow it down more with things Ive tried. I go shooting with my sister and some friends as well as some of my wifes friends who recently applied for their licenses. Usually I carry a M&P 45c or my G33, thats about as small as I get. I always bring the 92FS and everyone likes shooting it but its size, especially for female shooters isnt the greatest thing for them to use. Most love the feel of the Glock, but well.. its a 357 SIG and they dont like that part of it. My sister took 2 shots and put it down lol.
 
If you really don't plan on carrying it, I would not go with a subcompact like the LC9s. I'd go with a Ruger SR9c, SR9, or similar from another brand. Subcompacts are not fun to shoot at the range, even if you do have small hands.

My daughter was shooting my SR9 when she was 14 years old and she loved it. She hated shooting my LC9.

Just a thought.

Good suggestions here. I loved my SR9c, but it was a little bulky for a deep concealment. I went to an XDs 9mm for that. The LC9s is a great little pistol, but is less fun to shoot after a couple hundred rounds. The Springfield XD Mod 2 guns are nice mid sized pistols, but I think they're tough to get hold of in Mass, and they have that uber-ghey "grip zone" shit.
 
I'll be the odd duck and suggest a 3rd gen single stack smith. They're out there and for a range gun they really fit the bill. Maybe a model 39. One in the classifieds right now.
 
The M9A1 is not a small 9mm. It's the size of a G19. Also if you've never run one before you'll nearly shit your pamts when you feel the trigger, it's good, but might scare you on a carry gun, because the travel is short.
 
CZ-75 or variant of, assuming you are looking for a shootable 9mm without an overly large grip for smaller hands. Sounds like a smaller full size or larger compact is what he is looking for.
 
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If you really don't plan on carrying it, I would not go with a subcompact like the LC9s. I'd go with a Ruger SR9c, SR9, or similar from another brand. Subcompacts are not fun to shoot at the range, even if you do have small hands.

My daughter was shooting my SR9 when she was 14 years old and she loved it. She hated shooting my LC9.

Just a thought.

I miss understood what his goal was. I assumed it was for carry AND range time........although I don't find the LC9s a chore to shoot for over 100 rounds at a whack, a full sized SR9 IS a better choice! I had one that i never should have gotten rid of.

I know i'll be laughed at but even the Mass compliant rugers have decent triggers. Not awesome but they certainly give you something you can get used to.
 
The M9A1 is not a small 9mm. It's the size of a G19. Also if you've never run one before you'll nearly shit your pamts when you feel the trigger, it's good, but might scare you on a carry gun, because the travel is short.

I dont mind the G19 size at all, I have shot the M9A1 and really liked it. The feel was great. My G33 has a ghost Evo Elite so its a pretty quick pull as well.

Glock 19 best all around 9 your going to come across. I have a gen 4 but gen 2s are available cheap online

Been waiting on the G19s from AIM to pop up again.
 
I dont mind the G19 size at all, I have shot the M9A1 and really liked it. The feel was great. My G33 has a ghost Evo Elite so its a pretty quick pull as well.



Been waiting on the G19s from AIM to pop up again.

If you have a glock and you like it. there's your answer.

-Mike
 
Lots of good choices out there, but you can't go wrong with a M&P 9mm Shield. It's a great gun, good shooter that works well as an EDC and range toy.
 
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